Growing up
by Mona Kleine
Summary: "My dear Lord, why did you ever create Adam? Creatures like men never grow up!"  Lisa whined at the sight of her rival sibling...
1. Chapter 1: Breakfast

**Growing up**

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters

Rated: **T **

Summary: _Growing up is a part of every teenager's life. It wasn't easy for neither Lisa nor Bart of the Simpsons._

Reviews are most welcomed.

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**Chapter 1: Breakfast**

Bart had never been so nervous before.

And it's so wrong.

This is the tacky and rebellious Bart we're talking about. The one great inventor of all the nastiest pranks in town. People are nervous whenever he's around.

He does not do nervous! Okay, except for Nelson and his mom.

He stole a glance at his rivalry of a sister.

She kept on stuffing salads into her mouth.

Then he's caught. She glared back as if he's the _most disgraced thing on earth_.

His face immediately turned tomato red at the remembrance of what recently happened.

God, if Nelson was here right now, Bart'd rather be beaten to death than being in situation like this.

...

Lisa can't take it any longer.

She's gotta flee from this place. Technically anywhere else to keep _that thing_ out of her sight.

She tried hard to finish the meal.

Any second spent here is shortening up her life.

She caught him glimpsing at her. And what's worse? He ...blushed.

That's it. She's out of here.

Now.

...

It's Sunday and the Simpsons were having breakfast. The atmosphere's getting so odd. Marge's just happened to know exactly why.

"Well...Lisa, are you still mad at your brother?" –She finally cleared her throat.

_Mom. Not now, please!_

Lisa swore her luck had never been this bad.

"I didn't even mean to... She's already 17... How could any girl leave the room door open while...changing..." – Bart's muttering while his face's burning red.

Lisa eyes shot open wide.

"Oh yeah? Doesn't any 18 years old adult know what "knock knock" means? Hello, my room, my privacy. You tacky empty headed... pervert!"

Muttered out those words, Lisa felt a strange pang of guilt. Getting it off her chest didn't feel right for the first time.

What did she just say? Thanks to her last night carelessness, her birthday party was ruined. Bart came just to gave her a little surprise. Just at a wrong time. She knew it well. And all she did was to make a bigger mess. She doesn't understand why she's doing this either.

She heard a slight snort and instinctively gazed up at Bart. It's too late. His face was already turning pale.

_Insults like ever_.

"Pervert? Come on. Look at yourself." -Bart's face reddened once again but for a different reason.- "I sympathize for anyone who's your boyfriend gonna-be...blerg..erg...erg..."

His face returned to being pale. Their dear father was choking him.

"Alright Lisa, I'd punish him. Bart, you bastard."

"Homer! Stop it. You're killing him."- Marge started to panic.

No one pay attention to Lisa as she got up and grabbed her handbag.

"I'm ...leaving...I got a practice section for my band's upcoming state competition."

She walked away.

"Lisa?" – Homer finally let go of his son's neck.- "Let me drive you to school. You don't have a license."

The furious Liza insisted on taking a bus while her father persistenly dragged her to their house's garage.

The atmosphere's quiet and suffocating again. Marge turned to the troubled and confused son sitting next to her.

"Bart, don't take it so hard son. Your sister is at her adolescent stage. Her emotions and hormones are changing and everything. It's awkward and embarrassing for her. You know...Maybe she isn't even dating anyone yet. It's simply...shocking."

Marge kept on babbling, unsure how to fix the situation. In fact, she might be making it worse.

"Got it, mum. I'll apologize to her later. Now I got a soccer match to go."

Bart disappeared after the door. His mom let out a soft sigh. Her kids have grown up so much.


	2. Chapter 2: Things I'll never say

**Chapter 2: Things I'll never say**

Bart rose up in bed at 1 a.m with a wrenching stomach. He reluctantly lifted the thick blanket with a shiver and started searching for slippers. He didn't like to leave the sleeping lamp on. The only brightness in his room came from the street lights piercing through the curtain. At last he walked on bare feet and decided that it's fine for just a few minutes until he reached the kitchen.

Lisa never came back for dinner that day. Homer came back telling them that she had a sleep-over.

_Indeed a good thing_. Bart thought. He wouldn't have to do that stupid apology thing that he promised his mother in the morning.

"What have we here? An idiot walking on bare feet in the middle of winter?"

Speaking of the devil, she popped out right in the kitchen, brewing coffee.

"Damn it... Butt out! You're supposed to be at Sara's house. No?"

The top irritating thing for Bart of the Simpsons is to be occasionally mocked by Liza in a better-than-thou way. And the worst thing is that her mocking always has to make sense.

"I forgot tomorrow's Chemistry lab report at home so she dropped me in a moment ago."

"Oh?..."- Is all he responded.

For now Bart's main concern is to quickly get a midnight snack before dying from starvation.

"I made a sandwich in the microwave. Take it if you want to." She said, as if she was reading his mind.

"And... you'll catch a cold in no time if you don't put on some slippers." At last she dropped her empty coffee cup into the sink and turned around.

Bart stared at his sister for a few seconds with eyebrows shot halfway up his forehead. She pretended not to notice and walked past him. He suddenly thought about _the apology promise_.

Wait a second. He's swayed for a sandwich? Na-ah! That just sounds stupid.

"Hey Liz...Look, I..."

Bart heard himself muttering. He can't believe what he's about to say but it doesn't feel as bad as he thought.

"I'm sorry."

Did he say it?

No. Liza did.

Impossible. He must be hearing things. She will never say that to him. Not if he hasn't done it first. She hates being wrong.

"I'm sorry Bart..." She repeated, as if to confirm it "...for what I said this morning."

The little sister promptly strode away, leaving him in utter disbelief.

It's gonna be a long winter night...


End file.
